


I'd Rather Be With You

by valentines



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Coming Out, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 05:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/683300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valentines/pseuds/valentines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bit of Larry Fluff. </p>
<p>“What’s up?” Harry asked, taking a sip of the tea and flinching as it scorched his tongue. Louis just stared at him, a small smile playing on his thin lips, just like one had in the interview earlier that day.<br/>“I don’t know if you’re going to be up for this. And I completely understand if you’re not. I didn’t want to for ages. But I know you’ve been thinking about it a bit.” Louis paused, seeing if Harry would click on to what he wanted to do. But he just sat there silently, waiting for him to finish his proposition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'd Rather Be With You

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a LONG time ago. Imagine it in UAN tour time. Enjoy. xx

“What do you look for in a girl?”

The question hung in the air, as the blonde interviewer with full red lips smiled at all five boys, waiting for an answer. The amount of times they had answered this question had to be literally hundreds. Zayn replied with his standard description, and Harry risked a glance at Louis. He was already staring at him, his thin lips curved up in a small smile. Harry watched the way the unnatural light of the room etched along Louis’ cheekbones, before mouthing ‘girl’. They both gave a single silent chuckle and turned their attention back to the interview. Thank god it wasn’t being filmed.  
Later that night, Harry lay in his hotel bed, the pillows too soft for his liking. They’d been on tour for a month and he already wanted to go home. But with all the places they went and things they’d seen in their career already, home was becoming hard to pinpoint. The UK would always be there to welcome him back, but that wasn’t the problem. Home, they said, is where the heart is. And the one who owned his heart went with him everywhere.  
Harry heard a loud vibration, and reached over to his bedside table to grab his phone. He squinted as the light from the screen illuminated the room and he read the message.  
Louis: Are you awake?  
Harry smiled, biting down on his knuckle. He questioned how he was still so smitten after being with Louis for so long.  
Harry: Yes :) x  
Louis: Can i come 2 ur room?  
Harry: You don’t have to ask. X  
Louis: Ok haha be there in 5  
Louis: We gotta talk about something  
Louis: xx  
Harry: I’ll be right here. x  
Louis: :)  
Harry narrowed his eyebrows as he reread their conversation. What did Louis have to talk to him about? He got out of the bed, pulled on a shirt and quietly walked over to the small kitchen area. The kettle was switched on and he waited by the door.  
Two minutes later there was a small knock, and Harry turned the handle to reveal Louis. The pair smiled at each other, the older somewhat nervously, and he entered the room.  
“Tea?” Harry asked. Louis nodded, taking a seat on the bed and admiring his suite.  
“I think your room’s nicer than mine. Told you Simon likes you the most.”  
Harry scoffed, pouring hot water into two mugs over the tea bags (only a dash of milk for Louis. Strictly no sugar. Harry, on the other hand, dumped two heaps teaspoons in.) He took both cups in his hands and passed one to Louis before sitting down on the bed next to him.  
“What’s up?” Harry asked, taking a sip of the tea and flinching as it scorched his tongue. Louis just stared at him, a small smile playing on his thin lips, just like one had in the interview earlier that day.  
“I don’t know if you’re going to be up for this. And I completely understand if you’re not. I didn’t want to for ages. But I know you’ve been thinking about it a bit.” Louis paused, seeing if Harry would click on to what he wanted to do. But he just sat there silently, waiting for him to finish his proposition.  
“I want to.. come out as a couple.” These words left Louis’ mouth quickly, like he was trying to get them out into the open as fast as he could. Harry had no reaction at first, until he took one warm hand off his mug and placed it on Louis’ cheek with a wide grin.  
“Okay. Yeah, I’ve wanted to for ages.” He said, and Louis smiled back at him, putting his own hand over the one on his cheek. “But, management.” Harry murmured reluctantly. Louis’s face fell as he realised that yes, their managers would prove difficult.  
“Why don’t we just not tell them? We can just say it all of a sudden in an interview.” Harry suggested, moving his free hand from Louis’ cheek, slowly down his arm, then clasping their hands together. Louis’ eyes gazed at their interlocked fingers.  
“What if we get fired?” He whispered, rubbing his thumb on the back of Harry’s hand. Harry placed his and Louis’ tea on the ground, and Louis leaned his head on his shoulder. Harry’s arm reached around his shoulders, and pulled him closer, before lightly kissing him on top of his head.  
“We’re Harry and Louis from One Direction. They can’t exactly fire us.” Harry said, closing his eyes. He could feel his boyfriend’s chest moving up and down with the breaths he was taking, more erratic than usual. It seemed like Louis was genuinely scared of what was going to happen. Harry knew that the fame, the money, the fans, they all stilled bewildered him as much as day one. Louis whispered, “Pretty sure they wouldn’t care about firing me.”  
Harry laughed, running his fingers through Louis’ hair. “Good joke.”  
Louis shuffled out of Harry’s grip and stiffly sat on by himself on the bed, staring at the ground. There was a pained expression on his face that looked unnatural; Louis hardly ever frowned.  
“I’m not joking, Harry. You’re the star; you’re the one everyone would miss.”  
The pair sat in an awkward silence, with Louis avoiding Harry’s gaze. Louis had never said something like that out in the open. He had always told himself to be thankful for what he had, even if he wasn’t the lead singer. He’d met so many amazing people and made a lot of money, more than enough to make sure his sisters and his mum would have a privileged life. He’d met his soul mate. So he couldn’t complain about not being the most popular band member, it seemed pathetic.  
It was stupid of him to suggest they come out. He’d lose this life he’d been lucky to find, and he’d jeopardise Harry’s career as well. He couldn’t risk that at all.  
“If you left, or were fired, I would quit. I wouldn’t leave you.” Harry said, his words piercing the silent air. He didn’t reach out to touch Louis; he wanted to console him with his words, to make sure he knew how important he was him and the rest of the boys.  
“Forget I said anything okay? Let’s just stay the way we are. Both safe in the band, secretly together. It’s fine.” Louis said after clearing his throat and standing up from the bed. Harry’s eyes followed him as he started to move towards the door.  
“Just stay here tonight.” He called after him. Louis’ hand stopped on the doorknob as he took a deep breath.  
“Yeah, okay. Course.”  
~  
The familiar feeling of adrenaline pumped through Harry’s veins. He’d felt it at the start of the concert, when the countdown was introducing them, and he could hear the screams from the fans. He had been excited to perform for them, the people who had gotten them where they were. But this time the adrenaline was laced with nausea.  
The idea had come to him that morning, when he’d woken up with Louis next to him in the hotel bed. He’d wanted to be a public couple for a while, just hadn’t been brave enough to suggest it. Louis’ hair had been hanging in his eyes while he slept, and Harry reached out to brush it back up off his face; then he’d realised he wouldn’t be able to do that in public without there being whispers.  
And now he stood backstage, between Zayn and Liam, waiting to be called on for the encore.  
“You look pale.” Liam yelled at Harry over the cheering, his eyebrows furrowed as he studied his complexion. Liam was always watching out for Harry. “You feel okay?”  
Harry nodded, eyeing Louis at the front of the row.  
“Go boys!” A member of the crew alerted them, and One Direction ran out onto the stage for their final song. The flashes from the audiences and the lights from the stage blinded them for a second. Each crowd was different, and the boys had already familiarised themselves with this one throughout the rest of the concert.  
But Harry’s attention strayed from the crying girls for most of the song, and he couldn’t help but look at Louis when singing lines such as I want, I want, I want to be loved by you. One sign did catch his eye though; ♥ LARRY STYLINSON ♥. The girl holding it was nudged by her friend, who’d seen Harry looking at the sign, and the pair screamed and waved.  
‘Ironic.’ He thought.  
Zayn’s high note ended the song and the screams were louder than ever, because the audience knew this was the final piece, and there was a possibility they’d never see their idols again. Harry looked around at his boys, Liam smiling like an idiot, Niall fist pumping, Zayn picking up a stuffed animal, and Louis moving to the front of the stage to start the brief thank you and farewell’s.  
This could quite possibly be the last time they’d perform together, if management didn’t take this well. Maybe Simon would hit the roof and they’d all be out of a job. But this was the perfect place to do this; lots of photographic evidence, this wasn’t a part of an interview that could be cut out, or a rumour that could be put to bed with photos of them with girls.  
Harry moved slowly up behind Louis, avoiding the other boy’s eyes. This wasn’t part of the ending. They were all meant to move up together and bow.  
Louis turned as he felt a figure next to him, and his heart instantly started to race. No, this wasn’t happening right now, what was Harry doing?  
“I.. Would like to say something as well, Lou.” Harry’s deep voice boomed out of the speaker, and all eyes were on them.  
Neither boy spoke for a moment. Instead, Harry took a deep breath, looked down at their hands which were mere inches apart, and interlocked their fingers without a second thought. There was a minimal reaction from the crowd; Harry knew they were waiting for what he had to say.  
“Some of you have had you suspicions about this for a while, and I would just like to confi-”  
Harry frowned and looked down at his microphone, tapping it on his hip. There was no sound.  
“My microphone’s off.” He told Louis, the only one who could hear him, shaking his head before glaring off to the side of the stage at the sound crew. One of their tour managers was standing next to a scrawny looking sound technician. His hand would have been on the fader labelled ‘Harry’. The manager was looking at him with exasperation. Louis squeezed his hand and pulled him along as he moved closer to the audience.  
“Harry and I are... together... in the couple kind of way.” Louis said awkwardly, scrunching up his face afterwards and looking at Harry. “Larry Stylinson, or whatever.” Louis heard his mic turn off as well. They smiled at each other as the audience fell into silence for a second, and then erupted in cheers and screams. Harry pulled Louis in for a hug, enjoying the moment.  
Niall, Liam and Zayn stood together behind them. They all looked at each other, not entirely sure of what to do. Niall took a step forward as Louis and Harry separated, bringing his working microphone up to his lips. “Called it.”  
They laughed, and the last part of the show continued as normal; all five boys joined together and bowed for their audience, thanked them, and then left the stage. Louis and Harry grasped hands again just as they moved out of sight of the crowd. None of them spoke as they went to the dressing rooms. When they were in there, though, they were met by their tour manager Paul, and two others Harry felt bad for not knowing the names of.  
“Some warning would have been nice, boys.” Paul said, arms folded, but not looking particularly angry.  
“It was kind of out of the blue. I’m not sorry.” Louis stammered, letting go of Harry’s hand, only to put it on his waist. The other boys shifted uncomfortably. They’d finally put together the possible consequences of Louis and Harry’s actions.  
“You don’t have to be. What’s done, is done.”  
Harry frowned, looking up from his feet. Were they off the hook? Was it really that easy? Maybe more was to come.  
“But you three. Let me know before you want to make a P.S.A, alright?” Paul mentioned, pointing to Zayn, Liam and Niall, before edging towards the door. The two others followed suit. “We’re outta here in an hour.” He said before leaving the room.  
All five of them let out a breath when they were alone.  
“Thought we were all goners.” Niall muttered, collapsing in the single armchair. Zayn grinned, knocking the new couple on the shoulders.  
“Congrats.” He said, going into the bathroom to change. Liam just looked like he was going to explode; from happiness or something else, they didn’t know. Rarely did with him.  
Louis and Harry look at each other, clasping their hands together. “We made it.” Harry whispered. Louis nodded, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead on Harry’s. Neither of them would be wiping the smile off their face for a long time.


End file.
